Nikon has today announced its first swivel lens cameras since
the Coolpix SQ in February 2003, in the shape of the Coolpix S4
which is reminiscent of the legendary E9xx series. Looking slightly
more stylish in silver than its ancestors, the six million-pixel
S4 boasts a 10x optical Zoom-Nikkor lens as well as the D-Lighting
function, a 2.5-inch LCD, in-camera red-eye removal and face-priority
AF. Other features of note include AE-BSS, which selects the best
relative exposure from a series of shots, plus a 4cm macro mode.
The Coolpix S4 will be available at the end of this month priced
€399.

Nikon Corporation
has demonstrated its innovative credentials with the introduction
of the COOLPIX S4, one of the new “S series” of highly
portable COOLPIX cameras.

A stylish camera
designed for active people, the COOLPIX S4 packs a high megapixel
count, a large LCD monitor and zoom capability into a swiveling
body that allows independent movement of the lens and LCD sections.

The COOLPIX S4 features
a 10x Zoom-Nikkor lens whose versatility in composition takes
it beyond other cameras in its class. Its outstanding 38-380mm
performance (35mm equivalent) gives the user the freedom to capture
everything from extreme close-ups to architecture and landscapes,
with the added advantage of being swivel mounted so pictures can
be taken from imaginative and exciting angles.

The swivel capability
means you can shoot from the waist or overhead, and is great for
composing high quality self-portraits. The COOLPIX S4 delivers
the imaging capability of 6.0 effective megapixels too, producing
quality shots that remain impressive even when considerably enlarged.

Despite offering
such stunning imaging performance, the COOLPIX S4 is designed
to fit comfortably in the hand, with the swiveling section neatly
enclosing and protecting the powerful zoom lens and a zoom lever
located on the top of the body for easy operation.

The COOLPIX S4 also
features a new grip design that boosts the user’s confidence
when shooting. A large, bright 2.5-inch LCD makes it easy to compose
pictures and simple to play back the results on the spot. The
S4 is designed to be highly portable, with a slim 37mm depth and
a light weight of 205g.

The COOLPIX S4 makes
it possible to improve recorded images in-camera with a range
of unique Nikon functions. Available in Playback Mode, the ingenious
D-Lighting function enables the user to ‘rescue’ shots
taken with insufficient flash or excessive backlight. The user
simply has to select the image in question and D-Lighting automatically
creates a copy, but with enhanced detail and lighting wherever
necessary.

In Portrait Mode,
the COOLPIX S4 offers the handy Face-priority AF function, which
can detect the presence of a human face in the shot. Once detected,
Face-priority automatically achieves sharp focus on the face,
producing pleasing portraits no matter where the subject was positioned
in the shot.

There’s also
the benefit of In-Camera Red-Eye Fix, which automatically detects
the unfortunate red-eye effect that can occur when taking portraits
with flash, resulting in better quality portraits and more confident
use of flash. The COOLPIX S4 is equipped with a useful Blur Warning
function, too. Alerting the user whenever a shot may have been
compromised by camera shake, it provides a chance to take another
image before the opportunity passes.

Taking fun and convenience
further, the COOLPIX S4 can be powered with a pair of AA-size
batteries, which are widely available around the world in alkaline,
lithium or other forms, making the camera well suited to travel.
There’s also a selection of four Movie Modes offering up
to 15 frames per second performance. Three of these modes also
record sound, while the fourth is a Time-lapse movie function
that allows the capture of action taking place over extended periods.

A choice of 16 Scene
Modes simplifies shooting in a wide range of common situations,
allowing the user to select the icon that most closely matches
the desired shot, then let the COOLPIX S4 select the optimal settings
automatically for pleasing results. Four of these Scene Modes
come with the added advantage of Scene Assist, which helps the
user to achieve better composition. There’s also the Voice
Recording Mode, which is highly useful in meetings and lectures
(as well as a range of other circumstances) and can record up
to 5 hours of sound when used with a 256MB SD card.

The COOLPIX S4 makes
printing easy, too, thanks to its PictBridge compatibility, which
allows the camera to be connected directly to compatible printers
to produce photographs without the need for a computer. The camera
offers USB connectivity, making it swift and easy to transfer
data to computers and other peripherals. Furthermore, the COOLPIX
S4 comes complete with Nikon’s versatile PictureProject
software so images can be edited, organized and shared simply
using a wide range of easy-to-use functions.

Nikon COOLPIX
S4 Feature Highlights

Amazing 10x
optical zoom performance
Equipped with a powerful 10x Zoom-Nikkor lens, the COOLPIX S4
offers far more compositional freedom than other compact cameras.
In fact, delivering outstanding 38-380mm performance (35mm equivalent),
it makes it easy for the photographer to capture a much broader
range of subject matter — moving in for tightly composed
portraits, zooming further out for stunning shots of architecture,
or pulling right out to capture the full beauty of expansive scenery.

Dynamic swivel
design
Not only is the lens of the COOLPIX S4 incredibly powerful, but
it is also housed within a unique swiveling body that allows the
lens to be directed independently of the LCD monitor. As a result,
it provides new potential for taking pictures from a more imaginative
range of angles — shooting from the hip, shooting from overhead,
and allowing the photographer to point the lens and the LCD monitor
in the same direction simultaneously to achieve self-portraits
with more accurate composition.

Easy to carry
for go-anywhere convenience
The COOLPIX S4 is ideal for carrying and using virtually anywhere.
Compact dimensions and a lightweight make it comfortable to hold
in the hand and easy to carry. It’s also compatible with
AA-size batteries, which are widely available around the world
in alkaline, lithium and other forms, making it an excellent choice
of camera to take when traveling.

Large, bright
2.5-inch LCD
The COOLPIX S4 is also equipped with a large, easy-to-view LCD
that makes it easy to compose shots with clarity and play back
the results right away. And because it’s so large and bright,
it makes navigation of the menu much simpler too.

The power
to improve pictures in-camera
Equipped with a selection of unique Nikon functions, the COOLPIX
S4 even makes it easy to enhance recorded images in-camera. Available
in Playback Mode, the D-Lighting function lets users improve images
taken with insufficient flash or excessive backlight, creating
a copy with automatically enhanced light and detail wherever necessary.
Available in Portrait Mode, the ingenious Face-priority AF function
has the power to detect faces within the frame, achieving sharp
focus automatically no matter where the subject is located in
the shot. The COOLPIX S4 also features In-Camera Red-Eye Fix.
A welcome function when taking portraits at night, it corrects
for the annoying red-eye effect sometimes caused by flash to produce
better portraits in low light.